Messages

106

The Green Room / "The Sound of Music" Live on NBC

« on: Dec 04, 2013, 05:31 pm »

There's more press and word-of-mouth about "The Sound of Music" Live than I thought the general public would care to engage in - I'm happy and sad about it (Carrie Underwood? Really? But yay musical theatre on TV?) My Facebook feed is awash with invites for viewing parties with drinking games ("Reverend Mother!"= 2 shots).

What does everyone think? Do you think The Sound of Music was a good choice? Are they crazy to do this live?

107

Tools of the Trade / Re: Ergonomics and the Tech Table

« on: Nov 26, 2013, 03:35 pm »

I would love to have a standing desk on casters that would accommodate my laptop and my script, then be able to transfer it to the theater for tech...

And Christmas is next month, maybe the scene shop guys will get my wishlist!

108

The Green Room / Re: Poll: Main Factor for Making it In This Business

« on: Nov 19, 2013, 01:11 am »

Keywords being "main factor," I have to go with hard work - eventually it pays off. I know plenty of people who got a gig because of who they knew, but they lacked the staying power.

109

Introductions / Re: Another emerging SM from DC!

« on: Nov 14, 2013, 09:13 pm »

How funny, I'm also running Commedia Christmas Carol this season. Welcome aboard!

110

The Green Room / Paris theatre technical director dies after blast

« on: Nov 11, 2013, 08:19 am »

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24881397

111

The Green Room / Re: Stage Managers have legs?!

« on: Nov 06, 2013, 07:46 am »

This topic has been covered to some degree in the topics "What (not?) to wear" and "Style Question":
http://smnetwork.org/forum/employment/what-(not)-to-wear/msg44997/#msg44997
http://smnetwork.org/forum/tools-of-the-trade/style-question/msg43667/#msg43667

It's a tough line to toe, you just always have to remember to be professional and be ready for whatever your job entails. As for personal style - why not wear a skirt when you know it's a slow day? Just have a change of clothes handy, just in case.

112

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: PROPS: Drugs, anyone? (Article to snortable props)

« on: Oct 26, 2013, 09:33 pm »

http://nypost.com/2013/10/23/what-actors-really-snort-shoot-and-smoke-on-set/

Gillian (Prop Master, Homeland, filmed in Charlotte ) would like to add that she told the reporter it was Dana that smoked pot, not Carrie.

113

Introductions / Re: new student

« on: Oct 14, 2013, 08:57 am »

Welcome to the forum 

114

The Green Room / Re: Stage Management Day in the UK

« on: Oct 11, 2013, 02:28 pm »

Now that it's the day after, did anyone's cast do anything for them - US or UK or other?

115

The Hardline / Re: Theatres That Have Closed--Can You Say "Emergency?"

« on: Oct 05, 2013, 10:57 am »

New York City Opera, which recently sought to raise a total of $20 million in emergency funds, was unable to reach its fundraising goal as of Sept. 30.  The organization began bankruptcy proceedings yesterday.

Guess I'll have to take "see a performance at NYC Opera" off the bucket list.

116

Self-Promotion / Tarzan: The Stage Musical - shadowing opportunity

« on: Sep 11, 2013, 01:03 pm »

Children's Theatre of Charlotte
Opens Sept. 20th, closes Oct. 20th

Shadowing opportunity for college students or any other interested SMs. Go to ctcharlotte.org for dates and times. There are also several school shows in the mornings that aren't advertised on the website, PM me a date and I can let you know if there's a performance.

117

The Green Room / On-camera interview

« on: Sep 10, 2013, 10:18 am »

We're in promotional mode and we've had a couple interviews lined up for the director and leads this past week. I asked the director if I was needed for a specific onsite on-camera interview, since it was only two actors without costumes, etc. and it was scheduled on my day off. I was told yes, I should be there. After the interview was done, the interviewer asked the director if there was anyone else she should talk to? The director said - loud enough for me to hear - "you should talk to our stage manager, she could offer you a different perspective." I pointedly declined (a nice way of saying I said "What? No. NO."), largely because I was given no notice and I didn't think I would represent the company well in my present state (another nice way of saying I put no thought into how I looked that morning). My director looked disappointed and asked me again, and I declined again. I feel like I wasted my one day off if a surprise interview was the reason for me being there.

Has anyone else been surprised into an interview of some kind? Should I have gone ahead with it?

118

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: PM responsibilities during rehearsals?

« on: Aug 26, 2013, 06:32 pm »

Like many positions, Production Manager means something different from place to place. When I was in school I had never heard of a Production Manager - or a TD or a Company Manager or many other positions you never hear of in high school theatre - so don't be afraid to sound inexperienced because that's what school is for. I would first ask the department for a job description. They may want you to oversee the production department or only train new stage managers, they may want you to venture deeper and track the budget or staff different productions.

I would sit down with the department head and hammer out the details of the job description. This way they clarify what they need and you don't get hit with any surprises down the road.

119

Self-Promotion / Re: Disney's Jungle Book

« on: Aug 24, 2013, 12:22 am »

I saw the load-in pics, it's looking good!

120

The Green Room / Re: Your First Theater Crush

« on: Aug 23, 2013, 11:17 pm »

My mom loved movie musicals like The Sound of Music and West Side Story, and both parents were big fans of Phantom, but those didn't really influence me beyond entertainment value and artistic appreciation. I auditioned for Midsummer in high school in order to make myself less of an introvert, and I made friends within the theatre group. But it wasn't until my sophomore or junior year during a theatre trip to L.A. to see a preview of Sunset Blvd that it really happened. It had nothing to do with the show or the performances - it was the very audible gasp from the audience when Norma Desmond's mansion crept downstage from blackness to light that did it for me. I wanted to make THAT reaction happen every night.

I've been in an abusive relationship with theatre ever since.